diff --git a/backend/src/services/synthesis.rs b/backend/src/services/synthesis.rs
index 3c99714..21290ca 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/synthesis.rs
+++ b/backend/src/services/synthesis.rs
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ async fn run_generation_inner(
                     .await?;
 
                 // 1e. Parse classification and fill categories
-                let phase1_classified = parse_classification_response(
+                let (phase1_classified, phase1_overflow) = parse_classification_response(
                     &class_response,
                     &valid_articles,
                     &classification_categories,
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ async fn run_generation_inner(
                 )
                 .await?;
 
-            let phase2_classified = parse_classification_response(
+            let (phase2_classified, phase2_overflow) = parse_classification_response(
                 &class_response,
                 &phase2_articles,
                 &classification_categories,
@@ -770,6 +770,10 @@ async fn run_generation_inner(
 // Helper Functions
 // ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+/// Minimum fill ratio for synthesis. If total articles are below this percentage
+/// of the maximum capacity, overflow articles are added to "Autre" to compensate.
+const SYNTHESIS_MIN_FILL_RATIO: f64 = 0.75;
+
 /// Recursively strip `\u0000` null bytes from JSON values.
 ///
 /// PostgreSQL rejects null bytes in JSONB text. LLM output occasionally
@@ -1675,9 +1679,10 @@ fn parse_classification_response(
     categories: &[String],
     max_per_category: i32,
     filled_counts: &mut HashMap<String, usize>,
-) -> HashMap<String, Vec<ScrapedNewsItem>> {
+) -> (HashMap<String, Vec<ScrapedNewsItem>>, Vec<ScrapedNewsItem>) {
     let max = max_per_category as usize;
     let mut result: HashMap<String, Vec<ScrapedNewsItem>> = HashMap::new();
+    let mut overflow: Vec<ScrapedNewsItem> = Vec::new();
 
     // Build category name → key mapping (case-insensitive)
     // "Autre" always maps to "category_autre"
@@ -1739,6 +1744,9 @@ fn parse_classification_response(
                 result.entry("category_autre".to_string()).or_default().push(articles[index].clone());
                 *filled_counts.entry("Autre".to_string()).or_insert(0) += 1;
                 assigned_indices.insert(index);
+            } else {
+                overflow.push(articles[index].clone());
+                assigned_indices.insert(index);
             }
             continue;
         }
@@ -1755,11 +1763,13 @@ fn parse_classification_response(
             if autre_filled < max {
                 result.entry("category_autre".to_string()).or_default().push(article.clone());
                 *filled_counts.entry("Autre".to_string()).or_insert(0) += 1;
+            } else {
+                overflow.push(article.clone());
             }
         }
     }
 
-    result
+    (result, overflow)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -2415,7 +2425,7 @@ mod tests {
             ]
         });
         let mut filled = HashMap::new();
-        let result = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
+        let (result, _overflow) = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
         assert_eq!(result.get("category_0").map(|v| v.len()), Some(1));
         assert_eq!(result.get("category_autre").map(|v| v.len()), Some(1));
     }
@@ -2431,7 +2441,7 @@ mod tests {
             "assignments": [{"index": 0, "category": "Unknown Category"}]
         });
         let mut filled = HashMap::new();
-        let result = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
+        let (result, _overflow) = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
         assert_eq!(result.get("category_autre").map(|v| v.len()), Some(1));
     }
 
@@ -2447,9 +2457,12 @@ mod tests {
             "assignments": (0..5).map(|i| serde_json::json!({"index": i, "category": "AI News"})).collect::<Vec<_>>()
         });
         let mut filled = HashMap::new();
-        let result = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 2, &mut filled);
+        let (result, overflow) = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 2, &mut filled);
         assert_eq!(result.get("category_0").map(|v| v.len()), Some(2));
-        assert!(result.get("category_autre").map(|v| v.len()).unwrap_or(0) > 0);
+        assert_eq!(result.get("category_autre").map(|v| v.len()), Some(2));
+        // Article at index 4 couldn't fit in AI News (capped at 2) or Autre (capped at 2)
+        assert_eq!(overflow.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(overflow[0].title, "Art4");
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -2463,7 +2476,7 @@ mod tests {
             "assignments": [{"index": 99, "category": "AI News"}]
         });
         let mut filled = HashMap::new();
-        let result = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
+        let (result, _overflow) = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
         // Index 99 is invalid → article 0 is unclassified → goes to Autre
         assert_eq!(result.get("category_autre").map(|v| v.len()), Some(1));
     }
@@ -2479,7 +2492,7 @@ mod tests {
             "assignments": [{"index": 0, "category": "ai news"}]
         });
         let mut filled = HashMap::new();
-        let result = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
+        let (result, _overflow) = parse_classification_response(&response, &articles, &categories, 4, &mut filled);
         assert_eq!(result.get("category_0").map(|v| v.len()), Some(1));
     }